A Heart Divided
A few years ago, I got a stress test on my heart. Why? I was stressed.

When your heart is put under a lot of stress, it can fool you and make you think things are wrong when they really aren’t wrong. We all have choices that we can make. We can choose to push through the stress; or we can choose to stop, rest and regroup. With either choice, there will be some pain involved.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. … I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” John 14:1, 6 (NLT)

There are enough things going on in the world around us to have cause for concern. If our hearts are troubled, we are preoccupied with the wrong things – too much news, overwhelmed by a situation, wrong people, over-extended lives. We can succeed as long as we remember how our hearts work.

The reason we have troubled hearts is because they are divided. The world wants to convince you of its ways, but God wants to convince you of His ways.

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23 (NASB95)

Whatever has your heart has the springs as well, and something we need to remember is that springs cause growth. If it’s fear that has your heart, you’re giving life to fear. Fear is growing even though you’re praying. If we want to stop the fear, we must stop allowing it to have access to the springs.

Since the springs of life flow from our hearts, we should watch over them. Guarding our hearts affects the holiness of our lives.

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NLT)

To make holy means to set apart for God. What God wants to make holy is our spirit, soul and body. He wants our lives to be set apart for Him. He wants us to trust Him and trust Jesus.

When our heart is divided, we will see indicators showing this.
1. Temptation (body or flesh) – Sin seems more attractive than usual. This indicator is warning us that we need a change of pace in some area.

2. Temper (soul) – Emotions are outbursts rather than calculated reactions. This indicates that we are running faster than our minds and emotions can keep up. If you haven’t had joy for more than a week, stop today and ask yourself why.

3. Training (mind) – We start making consistent mistakes, forgetting things, and losing things. These are all indicators of over commitments, lack of breaks, and not observing the Sabbath.

4. The Holy Spirit (spirit) – We aren’t able to hear God when we ask Him for clarity and answers. This indicates that we are too hectic. He is speaking to us, but there are too many voices that drown out His voice.

The only answer for all of these indicators is to put the brakes on and be still.

“Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.” Psalm 46:10 (MSG)

God is above everything – we just need to let Him be over us.